Historic Centre of São Luís, Brazil

São Luís Cathedral, Brazil
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SaoLuis-Cathedral.jpg
Author: Marcus Guimarães


São Luís is a town in Brazil that was founded in the 17th century by the French. It later came under Dutch occupation before eventually coming under Portuguese rule. Through these periods, it became home to many historicd buildings of the different eras. Thanks to an economic stagnation of the early 20th century, many of the historic buildings in São Luís have survived intact, making the town one of the best examples of an Iberian colonial town in Brazil.

São Luís was inscribed as a World Heritage Site during the 21st session of the World Heritage Committee meeting in Naples, Italy, on 1-6 December, 1997.The Committee recognizes it as an outstanding example of a Portuguese colonial town that has adapted successfully to the climatic conditions in equatorial South America, while at the same time, has managed to preserve its urban fabric.

São Luís Street, Brazil
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SaoLuis-Street2.jpg
Author: Marcus Guimarães

World Heritage Site Inscription Details

Location: S 2 30 51 W 44 18 9 in Maranhão State, in northeast Brazil
Inscription Year: 1997
Type of Site: Cultural
Inscription Criteria: III, IV, V

Visiting Historic Centre of São Luís

Your base for visiting this World Heritage Site is Sao Paulo, the biggest city in Brazil. From there, you can make the arrangement, either on your own or through a travel agency, to go there.

Getting there

You can reach São Luís by bus, train as well as by flight. There are several domestic airlines flying to São Luís from major Brazilian cities.

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